Welcome to the Garfield Clean Energy website, the One Stop Shop for information on the clean energy economy in Garfield County, Colorado, and the surrounding region. This site gives you easy access to tools for taking action.

Built-in energy efficiency pays off
for new Garfield County
Administration Building in Rifle

“We had to accomplish several priorities within this single structure,” said Frank Coberly, Garfield County Facilities Director. “We needed more space, we wanted to promote productivity and good health, and we wanted to use new construction techniques and materials for resource conservation and environmental responsibility.” Read the whole story.

Electric Vehicle Sales EVent offers discounts on plug-in cars

The Electric Vehicle Sales Event, aimed at drivers in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties, will offer discounts for the purchase or lease of plug-in electric vehicles from six auto dealerships for a 90-day period.

“We are building on the success of last year’s EV Sales Event, which led to sales of 42 plug-in electric vehicles,” said Matthew Shmigelsky, electric vehicle expert with CLEER.

For the 2018 sales event, running from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, local auto dealerships are offering discounts of $515 to $1,950 on seven models of electric vehicles.

The Electric Vehicle Sales Event is led by Garfield Clean Energy, CLEER and Refuel Colorado, and sponsored by Holy Cross Energy, City of Glenwood Springs, City of Aspen, Town of Vail, Eagle County, CORE, Walking Mountains Science Center, Alpine Bank and Colorado Mountain News Media.

The dealer discounts are for plug-in electric-gasoline hybrid models and for plug-in all-electric vehicles. The discounts can be combined with the state of Colorado’s $5,000 tax credit and a federal tax credit of up to $7,500. Together, they can significantly drive down the cost of a lease or purchase.

Electric vehicles are also less costly to operate. The electricity equivalent of a gallon of gasoline costs about $1.10 per “e-gallon.”

More affordable fuel and less overall maintenance means electric vehicles can help reduce the cost of living in resort communities, Shmigelsky noted.

Electric vehicles help clean air, support Colorado energy jobs

“Using electricity instead of gasoline for driving reduces carbon emissions,” Shmigelsky said. “Electricity in Colorado’s statewide average power mix is 36 percent cleaner than gasoline. As more renewable energy is added to the grid, electric vehicles will be even cleaner.”

Electric vehicles also support Colorado jobs and industry, as they shift the transportation fuel market away from oil and toward electricity, a domestic energy source. That supports Colorado electric utilities and their fuel providers in the coal, natural gas and renewable energy industries.

In 2017, the state of Colorado set a goal of 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. Today, Colorado drivers own 15,000 EVs, and sales are growing by 50 to 60 percent per year, according to Will Toor, transportation program director for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Program (SWEEP) in Boulder.

To make up for not paying the state gasoline tax at the pump to support highway improvements, electric vehicle owners pay an added annual fee when licensing their cars.

Meanwhile, an infusion of funds from Volkswagen, in a legal settlement with states for the automaker’s cheating on emissions, will pay for new fast-charge stations across Colorado and in many other states. As charging locations come on line in the next few years, the ease of travel in an electric vehicle will become comparable to a gasoline-powered vehicle, Shmigelsky said.

Anyone interested in driving an electric vehicle is encouraged to contact or visit any of the six participating dealers.

Architect Ed Mazria, speaking May 18 in Carbondale, presented his strategy for the world’s buildings to operate only with built-in efficiency and renewable energy by 2050.

Mazria is the founder of Architecture 2030, a think tank in Santa Fe, N.M., that develops plans and policies for cutting carbon emissions from buildings worldwide.

His keynote talk led the Building(s) for a Sustainable Future symposium, which drew 160 architects, builders, elected officials and staff from Garfield, Eagle, Pitkin and neighboring counties. The symposium was hosted by CLEER, CORE and Garfield Clean Energy.

Buildings consume 40 percent of energy in the U.S., and from 60 to 75 percent of energy in cities, Mazria said.

“Communities can’t hit their clean energy and economic diversification goals without tackling energy use in buildings,” said Maisa Metcalf, education coordinator for CLEER. “Turnout at the symposium shows that community leaders and building industry professionals are ready to accelerate this work.”

Mazria’s strategy aims to eliminate carbon emissions from buildings by 2050, with policies focused on new construction, existing buildings and renewable energy.

“All new buildings can be ‘zero net carbon’ tomorrow. There’s no magic in it,” said Mazria.

Latest energy codes, if followed, produce buildings that use two-thirds less energy. The remaining energy demand can be met with renewable energy, he said, which would create a predictable market for clean energy development.

Mazria will unveil his “Zero Code” proposal for new buildings at an international conference in September; his presentation in Carbondale was the first in a series of previews across the U.S.

At the same time, Mazria said, the U.S. must accelerate the pace of energy retrofits on existing buildings, which also boosts business for contractors.

Today, about 1 percent of buildings undergo a deep energy retrofit each year. Stepping that up to 3 percent per year over the next 30 years, he said, would retrofit almost every building that exists today by 2050.

Other speakers at the symposium talked about efforts to build homes that use less energy, emphasizing ways to make energy-efficient housing affordable for all.

Rebecca Foster of the Vermont Energy Investment Corp. showed the company’s zero-energy modular homes, designed for hurricane survivors. Built on a foundation to qualify for a conventional mortgage, with 10-inch walls, solar panels and a heat pump, Foster said occupants save about $3,000 a year in energy costs.

Kelly Vaughn of Rocky Mountain Institute said RMI’s Realize program aims for deep energy retrofits on whole neighborhoods. Realize is inspired by a Dutch program that has retrofitted 6,000 homes, using an economical model that packages finance, labor and materials on a neighborhood scale.

“A net zero home is not only more cost effective, it’s more comfortable and easier to operate,” Vaughn said.

The symposium concluded with comments from leaders from the three-county region.

Matt Hamilton, sustainability director for the Aspen Skiing Co., challenged leaders to take a role in helping coal-based communities such as Hayden and Craig “ensure their future economic viability” as power sources shift to clean energy.

Garfield County Commissioner Tom Jankovsky warned against rules that could raise the cost of housing for working families. He cited VEIC’s zero-energy modular homes and RMI’s whole-neighborhood upgrades as solutions that can “make a difference right away.”

Legislature puts Colorado Energy Office on stable footing

JBC creates standing line item for agency in state budget

The Colorado Legislature used its annual budget measure to create a permanent line item in the state budget to fund the Colorado Energy Office, according to Kathleen Staks, executive director of CEO.

The action comes after the Legislature failed to appropriate state funds for CEO in the 2017 session, leaving the agency constrained for a year and operating with a bare-bones staff.

Colorado’s annual Long Appropriation Bill, House Bill 18-1322, provides $13.8 million in funding for the office for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The agency will be able to employ nearly 25 full-time staff.

The allocation includes $6.5 million for energy assistance payments to low-income households and $313,000 for grants for electric vehicle charging stations.

“Moving forward, the Colorado Energy Office will now have a consistent General Fund base budget included as a line item in the state budget for our programming each year,” Staks wrote in an open letter to agency partners.

“This success would not have been possible without the ongoing support of our partners and the willingness of key legislators from both chambers and both parties to work with us to identify a sustainable path forward for the office,” she added.

Legislators also passed Senate Bill 18-003, which adjusts the agency’s mission by repealing inactive programs and giving the agency more flexibility in dealing with a variety of energy resources.

“Our work focuses on both reducing energy costs for consumers and supporting innovative energy projects that result in additional clean, affordable, and accessible energy options,” Staks said.

With secure funding in place, Staks said the agency will now focus on strategic planning and visit communities across Colorado to learn about energy-related needs and opportunities.

“This will inform future program offerings and ensure that we are addressing statewide energy needs and priorities,” Staks noted.

Legislators approve home and utility-scale battery storage measures

Battery storage of renewable energy, for homes and for energy utilities, will be allowed under two bills passed by the Colorado Legislature.

Legislators also approved a bill that updates the Colorado Energy Office (see related story) and a measure that eases restrictions on cyclists approaching intersections. The 2018 session ended May 9.

The partisan divide in the Colorado Legislature, where Democrats control the House and Republicans control the Senate, resulted in only those four clean energy related bills winning passage in the 2018 session. Another nine went down to defeat, often getting killed in committee as soon as they moved from one chamber to the other.

At the utility level, House Bill 1270 calls on the PUC to set rules for investor-owned electric utilities that choose to invest in large-scale battery storage. Legislators called on the PUC to consider costs and benefits, grid reliability, and whether battery storage can reduce the utility’s need for additional peak generation or transmission capacity.

Northwest Colorado COG Energy Program installs first solar array

The Northwest Colorado Council of Governments is installing its first solar electric system, expanding on years of success providing free home energy upgrades to low-income households.

"This is an exciting avenue for our Weatherization Assistance Program, and we look forward to helping more of our clients in the future with this sustainable solution for reducing electrical utility bills,” said Nate Speerstra, Northwest Colorado COG’s energy program manager.

Northwest Colorado COG is partnering with the Colorado Energy Office and Xcel Energy for the pilot program, which is designed to to provide solar electric systems for qualified households enrolled in the agency’s weatherization program.

For years, the agency has worked with households in 13 counties, improving home efficiency by installing attic insulation, cutting air leakage through the building shell, and installing high-efficiency furnaces. These measures cut heating utility bills significantly.

“We haven’t had as many options for reducing our clients’ electric bills,” Speerstra said. These upgrades were limited to LED light bulbs and ENERGY STAR refrigerators.

With this pilot program, focusing on a renewable energy solution, the electric portion of the utility bill can be significantly reduced, he said.

Northwest Colorado COG identified a client with particularly high electrical usage, and has hired a solar contractor to install a 3.5 kilowatt, roof-mounted solar array.

“The modeling for this array predicts that it will generate over 5,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which means a likely savings of $660 a year for our client” Speerstra said.

Seniors benefit from home energy improvements

When winter winds blow and temperatures drop, seniors living in drafty homes feel the chill and pay the bills for the season’s high utility costs.

The CARE program helps income-qualified seniors beat the cold with free or discounted home energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation, air sealing, windows, refrigerators and other improvements.

“They sealed this house up like you can’t believe,” said Garry Evenson, 81, of Battlement Mesa, describing work done by Building Performance Contractors. “They did a fantastic job, and I really appreciate it.”

CARE is a regional program of Energy Outreach Colorado that originated in Garfield County in 2015. Garfield Clean Energy and CLEER deliver CARE services locally, with additional funding from Xcel Energy, Holy Cross Energy, Black Hills Energy, Glenwood Springs Electric and the Town of Carbondale.

“When we can help people reduce their energy bills, their cost of living becomes more affordable,” said Tom Jankovsky, Garfield County’s board member for Garfield Clean Energy. “That’s especially important for seniors living on a fixed income.”

Emissions cheating violations result in giant windfall for EV, CNG vehicles and fueling

Colorado officials have finalized a plan for distributing $68.7 million in funding for use in the state from the nationwide Clean Air Act settlement with Volkswagen Group of America.

The nationwide settlement ordered Volkswagen to pay more than $2.9 billion after the company admitted to cheating on federal vehicle emissions tests to hide excess air pollution in 580,000 vehicles.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment led the effort to develop a Beneficiary Mitigation Plan, which was signed March 22 by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Under the plan, funds will be divided into categories for vehicle replacements, electric vehicle charging and emission-cutting upgrades to diesel engines, and are expected to be available by early summer 2018.

Don’t waste heat. Recycle it into power.

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) is reaching out to the oil and gas industry about the potential for using waste heat to generate electricity without emissions.

CEO is working with the Heat is Power Association to inform leaders in the industry about the energy potential, and with the U.S. Department of Energy's Southwest Combined Heat and Power Technical Assistance Partnership to offer free evaluations for potential projects.

Recycled energy -- also known as waste heat to power -- is a form of clean energy that uses leftover heat from industrial processes to generate electricity with no additional fuel, combustion or emissions. The definition of recycled energy excludes power generated from waste heat produced by systems whose primary purpose is the generation of electricity.

Recycled energy systems capture heat from exhaust stacks or pipes, which would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere, and convert it into electricity.

The industrial sector accounts for 30 percent of U.S. energy consumption, and 20 to 30 percent of that energy is lost as waste heat. If captured, this energy would be worth $20 billion to $60 billion per year.

A report by the Colorado Energy Office estimates there are more than 50 sites in Colorado where recycled energy projects are economically feasible, with the potential to generate more than 100 megawatts of clean energy.

Nearly 40 of these potential sites are oil and gas facilities. Waste heat can be captured and turned into an asset from flares, produced water at wellheads, engines at compressor stations, and process heat at refinery and gas processing operations.

Generating power from waste heat can improve electric service reliability onsite, save facility owners money by offsetting the cost of purchased fuel and electricity, provide power to remote locations, and reduce a company’s carbon footprint and emissions.

Recycled energy is also an eligible energy resource that can help utilities meet Colorado’s renewable energy standard goals.

Does your industrial operation have recycled energy opportunities? Is process heat a big chunk of your business costs? Does your company run compressors and engines, or is it flaring waste gas? Anywhere waste heat exhausts to the atmosphere is a missed opportunity.

Learn more about opportunities to generate power from waste heat for your company’s use or for sale to utilities.

Garfield Clean Energy offers ‘EmPower Your Congregation’ outreach

CLEER Energy Coach Maisa Metcalf is reaching out to church congregations from Carbondale to Parachute for Garfield Clean Energy’s “EmPower Your Congregation” campaign.

The campaign helps congregation members be good stewards of creation by reducing energy use in their homes, workplaces and in their church.

“Energy use impacts our planet’s most vulnerable people, creatures and natural resources. Using less energy is one of the best ways to help care for Earth and our fellow beings,” Metcalf said.

In a brief presentation to congregations during the service, Metcalf will explain how congregation members can sign up for free home energy consultations offered by Garfield Clean Energy.

Congregation members can also enroll their church building in the campaign. Garfield Clean Energy will provide a free building energy walk-through, along with advice about efficiency upgrades that reduce energy costs and make church buildings more comfortable.

Metcalf will also host an information table during social time after the service to talk with church members and explain more about “EmPower Your Congregation,” and to give away energy-saving LED light bulbs.

Any church congregation in Garfield County interested in hosting a presentation can contact Metcalf at 970-704-9200 or maisa@cleanenergyeconomy.net

Outreach to congregations was an action step identified by stakeholders who participated in the Garfield Clean Energy and Xcel Energy Partners in Energy planning process. CLEER and and Garfield Clean Energy developed the “EmPower Your Congregation” campaign in cooperation with Energy Smart Colorado and Xcel Energy.